Consumer watchdog finds more than half of tested probiotic samples were not correctly labeled

The Consumer Council investigated 40 probiotic products on the market and found that most of them did not adhere to proper labelling.

The consumer watchdog tested 40 probiotic products with a price range from HK$99 to HK$788, with most of them claiming to be suitable for children and women.

Two of the tested samples contained Enterococcus faecalis, which is considered "unstable" by the United Nations as it can easily be contaminated into pathogenic bacteria, so it is not recommended for consumption.

In addition, the watchdog found that only 15 samples clearly labelled all strains of probiotics on the packaging, while one was labelled with only the strain number, three with only the genus, 20 with only the species, and one had no information about relevant probiotics at all but only stated “comprehensive probiotics developed by a local university” in its ingredients list.

Among the 33 samples labelled with multiple species or strains of bacteria, only seven clearly labelled the number of species, reflecting unsatisfactory labelling

The Consumer Council also pointed out that some probiotic products claim to improve gastrointestinal health, enhance immunity, etc., but current research has not been able to confirm the relevant effects, and reminds patients to seek medical treatment as soon as possible rather than relying on probiotics.

The Council urges the government to make reference to the regulatory approach of other markets and set up legislation to regulate dietary supplements, including probiotics, to protect consumer safety.